Hunt for 3XK- part one of the Johanna Castle Series
by abbyfillion22
Summary: Castle teams up with his father to rescue his baby from 3XK
1. Chapter 1

Jackson Hunt's disposable phone vibrated in his pocket. He answered it, expecting it to be his agency since they were the only ones who knew his number. He never kept the same phone for more than a week, after that it became a liability.

"Hello, Mr. Hunt," said a gruff voice.

"Anderson?" asked Hunt. Ryan Anderson was his agency's primary correspondent.

"I'm coming for you, Mr. Hunt," said the voice.

"Who is this?" Hunt gripped the phone tighter against his ear.

The man paused before answering. "They call me 3XK. I know who you are."

Hunt slid the curtain away from the window a fraction of an inch so he could look into the street below.

"That's right, I've been watching you. I'm standing outside your hotel right now. I see you at your window."

Hunt saw a man standing at a bus stop across the street, staring up at the building. He wore a black jacket and a baseball cap that covered his face.

"If you don't give yourself up, Agent Hunt, I'm coming after your granddaughter."

Hunt smirked, fully pulling away the curtain so 3XK could see him. "Go ahead and try. Your people already took her once, and you see how that turned out. She was gone within a day."

The man across the street lifted his head. Hunt caught a glimpse of his face as a car drove by. He had a large nose and stubble lined his jaw. His eyes were a bright green, almost glowing in the night.

"I'm not talking about Alexis Castle, Agent Hunt. I speak of the Richard Castle's newborn. She was born today in the New York City Hospital; six pounds, eleven ounces, 14 inches."

Hunt paused.

The man laughed maliciously. "I see you had no clue."

He gritted his teeth, moving away from the window. "Look you son of a bitch, you leave my family alone, or I'll-"

"-You'll what?" the man challenged, knowing he had the upper hand. "Give yourself up, Agent Hunt, and no one has to get hurt."

"Who are you working for?"

Hunt could hear the hint of cockiness in the man's voice. "I? I work for no one. But a friend of mine needed a favor. He asked for you. You have 48 hours to surrender, or baby Castle gets a bullet through her skull.

"Only a coward kills children," Hunt growled into the receiver.

"Whatever you say, Agent Hunt," said 3XK, "Only a coward lets a child die in his place."

And with that, the line went dead.

After twelve hours of labor, Kate Beckett held in her arms the most beautiful baby girl in the world.

Rick marveled at his daughter. She had her daddy's playful blue eyes and her mom's nose and lips. He didn't know that anything could be so small and delicate. Already, he was imagining teaching her to tie her shoes, ride a bike, then seeing her try on dresses for prom, moving out and getting married. The baby certainly had a long life ahead of her, and Rick was excited to be a part of it.

"What are we going to name her?" asked Kate. The two of them had agreed not to name the baby until after it was born. She had gone over hundreds of names in her head, but none of them seemed to fit. Knowing Rick, he would think of the perfect name for their child.

He only took a moment before answering, "Johanna. Her name is Johanna Castle."

Kate grinned. Naming the baby after her mother hadn't even crossed her mind, but she knew that it was the perfect name.

Rick gave Kate a long kiss, brushing her hair away from her eyes. Her forehead glistened with sweat from the exertion and her makeup was a tad runny, yet when Rick saw the two of his favorite girls together, he couldn't imagine anything more beautiful.

Speaking of his favorite girls, Alexis and Martha came charging into the delivery room, shouting.

"Where's my granddaughter?!" cried Martha dramatically.

"Grams!" said Alexis. "Give them their privacy," she said, tugging on Martha's coat sleeve.

"No, it's okay," said Kate as Martha gave her a friendly hug.

"Katherine, I am so happy for both of you," said Martha. "So did you decide on a name?"

"What about godparents?" asked Alexis excitedly.

"Alexis, this is your little sister, Johanna," Rick introduced proudly.

Martha clasped a hand over her mouth, tears springing into her eyes. "Oh! Johanna is such a marvelous name!"

"Alexis," said Kate, taking her stepdaughter's hand, "we want you to be her godmother."

Alexis squeeled and jumped up and down. "OhmyGod, I'm a godmother! I'm a _sister!_"

Rick wrapped an arm around his older daughter. "Alright, calm down sweetie, you'll wake Johanna."

Alexis stopped jumping, "Sorry, I'm just so excited! I have a _sister," _she whispered in awe.

Johanna stirred in her sleep. Kate readjusted the blanket, not quite sure what to do. In her mind, she was freaking out. She had a _kid _now; an actual human that relied completely on her. Kate had never had that kind of responsibility before. She was relieved to have Castle there, who already raised a daughter on his own. For once, he was the pro; she, the rookie.

A half an hour later, when Kate was more relaxed and composed, they accepted more visitors.

The first person to arrive was Jim Beckett. He adored Johanna, cradling her in his arms like only a grandpa could. He thanked Castle for naming her after his wife and even shed a few happy tears over his granddaughter.

Next came the godfathers, Esposito and Ryan. Ryan handled the baby with ease; he had had practice with his own son. But Espo was another story. At first, Javi was reluctant to hold Johanna, scared that he might drop her or make her cry. After some guidance from Kate, he held her awkwardly, and then relaxed when Johanna started playing with his thumb. When he thought no one was looking, Javi quickly brushed a tear from his eye.

"Congratulations, you guys," said Ryan, shaking Castle's hand and giving Kate a hug.

"Yeah, bro," said Espo, rocking Johanna, "If you ever need someone to babysit, I'm always available."

"Oh, so now _you're _the baby expert?" teased Ryan.

Espo smacked him, "Shut up bro, she likes me." Johanna squeezed his thumb. "Don't you little, J? You like Uncle Espo! Yes you do!" he cooed to the baby. "Uncle Ryan's just being a meanie."

Ryan smacked him back, "Don't tell her that!"

Castle quickly took the baby from Esposito. "Alright, if you two are going to start hitting each other, please leave my daughter out of it. That's all we need is a brain damaged kid."

"That would make her just like her daddy," said Kate, making them all laugh.

Ryan's phone chimed. He read the text. "There's a murder on 222 Park Avenue," he told Esposito.

"Let's get going," said Espo. "Sorry we couldn't stay longer, but we'll visit next week."

"Wait," said Castle, "is it a gory one?" he asked about the murder.

"Oh yeah," said Ryan tauntingly. He showed him a picture of the crime scene.

Castle flinched. "Oooh, that must have hurt! Can I come?"

Ryan looked at Castle, then at Beckett who gave him a warning look. "Uh… no, I think you're a little busy right now."

Realizing that his wife had just given birth he said, "Oh, oh yeah, that's right." He turned to Kate. "Sorry, sweetie, I forgot."

Kate nodded, understanding. She desperately wanted to go to the scene; she hadn't been working in the past nine months, so she'd go too if she could. "Call me when you get there," she told them. "I want to know every detail of the case."

Esposito gave her a questioning stare. "Are you sure? Aren't you going to be a little busy?"

Kate smirked, "Please, Espo, I think I can handle it."

Boy, was she wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

Kate sat in the hospital bed with Johanna cradled in her arms. The baby slept happily, her head resting on her mother's chest.

Castle sat perched on a table next to them, enjoying just watching the two of them. He never felt happier. He was married to the love of his life and now they had a gorgeous daughter of their own.

"Excuse me, Mr. Castle?" said a young male nurse sticking his head into the room. "There's someone here to see you."

"Alright, send them in," said Castle.

The nurse shook his head. "He's asked to speak with you privately."

Rick found this curious. Why had someone come to visit at the hospital if they weren't there to see Johanna? He went over a list of all of the visitors they had that day: Martha, Alexis, Jim, Ryan, Esposito, Lanie… that was all of the people they were expecting.

Kate glanced up, giving him a questioning look.

He hesitated, not wanting to leave his wife and baby quite yet.

Kate nodded, "Go ahead, we'll be fine."

Castle followed the nurse into a private break room in the next wing over. It was a small room with a cheap coffee maker in the corner and an old yellowing sofa in the middle of a tacky oriental rug. A tall man with grey hair stood on the other side of the room, facing the window and holding a Styrofoam cup.

The nurse closed the door behind Rick and there was silence; the only noise was the quiet hum of the coffee maker. The man took a moment before turning to him, as if to add to the dramatic effect.

"Hunt," whispered Castle, staring at his father

The agent nodded to him. "Son." He looked awkward standing in such a normal setting, Rick had only seen him on the job in the thick of action. It was almost like seeing your school teacher at the grocery store.

Castle shook his head. "What… what are you doing here? How did you find me?" This was only the second time Rick had ever seen his father; the first was in Paris when the two of them had rescued Alexis from foreign spies.

Hunt took a few steps closer to him. "I've come to warn you Rick," he said, dropping his cold coffee into the plastic trash bin. "What do you know about a man who goes by the name of 3XK?"

If Castle had been surprised to see Jackson Hunt, hearing the name of the serial killer that had nearly destroyed his life overshadowed his father turning up. "He's been after me for close to four years now."

Hunt shook his head solemnly. "That's what I feared. Rick, you and your wife need to hide; he's after your baby."

"3XK wants Johanna?" said Castle incredulously. "Why?"

Hunt remained silent, looking past Rick.

Then, it dawned on him. "He doesn't want Johanna," said Castle, "he wants _you."_

Hunt nodded. "He's using her against me, just as they had used Alexis. Give Johanna to me, I'll make sure she's safe."

Castle stepped away from his father, shaking his head, "No, you need to stay away from me, you need to stay away from my family!" his voice grew louder, "You've brought nothing but trouble to me and my kids, and I will _not _put Johanna in danger!"

Hunt stayed somber, "Listen to me, Rick-"

Castle turned away from him, moving to the other end of the room so the sofa stood between the two of them. "No! I _won't _listen to you. You were never there to protect me, so why are you suddenly showing up for my daughters?" He said angrily, clenching and unclenching his hands at his side.

Hunt stared at his feet, knowing that his son had every reason to resent him. He left Rick when he was a baby and never contacted him until last year. He let him believe that he didn't care about him; that he was fatherless. "Johanna's in danger as we speak-"

This made Castle completely lose it. "THEN TURN YOURSELF IN, HUNT! WHY IS _YOUR _LIFE MORE IMPORTANT THAN JOHANNA'S?! ANSWER ME THAT, WHY SHOULD SHE BE IN DANGER WHEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GIVE YOURSELF UP?!"

"You don't understand, Rick-" said Hunt, trying to calm his son.

Castle threw his hands up in frustration, "No, I _understand, _I understand completely! You're a selfish bastard who only cares about himself! It doesn't matter if your granddaughter is taken hostage as long as you get away without a scratch. It doesn't matter if your only son never knew his dad!" Castle strode across the room and grabbed hunt by the collar. "You need to turn yourself over to them Hunt, lay all of this to rest. It's the _least _you can do. If you didn't care about me, at least think of my kids."

Hunt stared into his son's eyes, the eyes that he had inherited from his beautiful mother. He was suddenly filled with guilt and sadness, realizing what a horrible father he had been. He didn't even deserve to call himself Rick's dad. Yet, Hunt also felt proud that despite the circumstances, his son had grown up to be a fine man; making a name for himself in the world. He had done well without him.

Castle slammed Hunt against the wall in disgust. They stared at each other for a full minute, both of them breathing heavily. Then, Castle stormed out of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Rick paused outside the hospital suite. He was shaken up by his dad's mysterious appearance and he didn't want to worry Kate. Today was the happiest day of her life and he wasn't going to be one to ruin it. He straightened his jacket and fixed his hair in the window reflection. He put on a grin before entering the suite.

Kate looked up when he came in. "Hey," she smiled, rocking Johanna lightly.

"How are my favorite girls?" asked Rick, lightly kissing Johanna's temple, then giving a long, slow one to Kate.

When she pulled away, Kate studied his face, her eyes flitting over him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

_Damn, _he thought, _how does she _do _that? Am I that easy to read? _"Nothing," he lied. "Everything's great."

She stared at his lips, looking for the telltale twitch that always gave him away.

Noting this, Rick put on his stolid poker face.

"Mhmm," she said, biting her lip, "who came to talk to you?"

Rick decided to not to lie. "Jackson Hunt," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Kate raised an eyebrow in shock. "Your _dad?!"_

He didn't make eye contact, picking distractedly at the sheets. "I wouldn't exactly call him that, but essentially, yeah, my quote dad, unquote."

"Well what did he want?" asked Kate, a little more harshly than she meant.

"Just to say congratulations and that stuff," Rick said, putting on the façade again.

Kate smacked his arm, "Castle, you are _such _a bad liar!" she said playfully.

He took the chance to change the subject. "That's why I beat you at Texas Hold 'Em _all _the time!" Relieved, Kate took the bait.

"You do _not!" _she said incredulously, "I let you win and you know it!"

"Wanna bet?"

"Yeah, I do!"

Rick ran down the hall to the waiting room where a deck of worn cards sat on the coffee table.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he dealt the cards, Kate laughing the entire time. "Loser gets diaper duty for the week," he said.

"You're on, Kitten," she looked down at the baby. "How am I supposed to hold Johanna _and _my cards?"

"That's your problem, Miss 'I can handle it all'," he said.

Kate grinned slyly at him as she readjusted Johanna so she held both at once. "We're going to beat daddy's pants off, Johanna!" she told her.

Rick wiggled his eyebrows, "Yes, beat my pants off if you dare." During the game, he stole glances at Kate and Johanna; relishing in the moments of pure happiness, before thoughts of his conversation with Hunt came back to him. He would need to protect Johanna at all costs against 3XK. But then again, maybe Hunt would turn himself in and she will be safe.

Castle nodded, pushing the memory of his dad and 3XK to the back of his mind. He knew he couldn't avoid telling Kate forever, but now was not the time.


	4. Chapter 4

Rick gently laid Johanna into her crib. She was already sound asleep when Rick had picked her up and he didn't want to wake her.

_I have the best baby in the world, _Rick thought, giving Johanna a kiss goodnight.

Hugo, their golden retriever, sat by the crib as if guarding the baby. Rick had bought Hugo a year ago for Kate's birthday. They had named the dog after Victor Hugo, one of Kate's favorite authors. Since then, Hugo was enrolled into K9 Police training at the precinct and was a month away from being a legal police dog.

At first, the couple was wary about having the large dog around the new baby. They had heard horror stories about jealous dogs attacking newborns. But Hugo was not one of these cases; in fact he was quite the opposite. Hugo had taken an instant liking to Johanna, sniffing her and licking her tiny fingers, never being too rough. He would let Johanna play with his ears and pull on his fur, never with so much as a whine of complaint.

Rick knelt down next to the dog, rubbing his ears. "You protect her now, Hugo, okay?"

Hugo barked.

"Don't let anyone hurt her," he told him.

Hugo barked again. He was a loyal dog, always looking out for his owners.

"Good boy," Rick praised him with a pat on the head.

Kate entered the bedroom in shorts and a loose off-the-shoulder faded grey jersey, tying up her hair in a messy bun. "She's got her own little guard dog, doesn't she?"

Rick hugged her, "Yup, the best in New York."

The two of them crawled into bed, exhausted. Both of them were way too tired to do anything else, so they merely fell asleep in each other's arms. Rick stayed awake a while longer, listening to the soft breathing of his family. Around midnight, he gave into sleep.

In that weird stage between being half asleep and half awake, Rick thought he heard a click. He raised his head off the pillow, looking over to Johanna's crib. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, he went back to sleep.

Then, he heard… were those footsteps? _You're just being paranoid, Rick._ There it was again, yes, it was definitely footsteps he heard. Was he just hearing things? When the bedroom door creaked, his eyes snapped open. There were more footsteps; the intruder wasn't even trying to stay quiet. There was the sound of heavy boots against the wood floors. Rick tensed, not daring to move. He could feel the presence of the other person. A beam of light crossed the room; a flashlight. The light landed on Johanna.

Rick bolted upright when he heard the click of a bullet being set into the gun chamber, waking Kate and Hugo.

He saw a dark figure standing at the foot of the bed, pointing a gun at him. He shone the flashlight in Rick's eyes.

"Don't move, or you die," said the figure. It was 3XK.

Rick put his hands up, glancing at Beckett out of the corner of his eye. She sat up on her hands, slowly inching herself to the nightstand where she kept her spare piece.

"I said, don't move!" shouted the man.

Hugo was on his feet, baring his sharp teeth and growling.

The man turned to Hugo, momentarily intimidated by the huge dog.

In one swift movement, Kate lunged for her gun.

"Hey!" shouted the man, firing off three shots; all missing Kate by a hair.

Kate had the gun in her hand; she and the intruder were in a standoff.

Hugo lunged at 3XK, getting a good bite at his leg before being shaken off. He kicked the dog away, and Hugo collapsed with a yelp.

While he was distracted, Beckett shot the gun out of his hand, only to have him pull an extra piece from his jacket.

He pointed the gun at her, reached into Johanna's crib and picked up her up. "You shoot me, baby dies," he said, moving the barrel to Johanna's head.

Johanna started crying, then screaming. She didn't understand why she was being handled by the strange man.

Kate's hand trembled on the trigger. She bit her lip to keep from breaking.

3XK knew that he had them right where he wanted them. He inched back out of the room, baby in hand, grinning victoriously.

"No!" shouted Kate.

3XK slammed the door on his way out.

Kate leaped off the bed and ran after him, throwing the door open.

"KATE!" Rick yelled, taking off after her.

3XK strode out of the loft, and found the door leading to the roof.

He heard pounding footsteps coming after him. He kicked open the heavy metal door and stepped out into the cool night. He breathed in the fresh air, heading to helicopter that sat waiting for him. Seeing him, the pilot started up the blades.

Kate pounded up the stairs, knowing that 3XK was going to get away. She went into instinctive protective mother mode when she went chased the serial killer. When she saw him holding the gun to Johanna's head, it killed her.

She couldn't lose another Johanna this way.

3XK walked briskly across the rooftop, almost sauntering.

She pointed the gun at his back, but she couldn't shoot. Tears streamed down her face as she watched 3XK climb into the helicopter with her baby girl. "NO!" she screamed. Her cry was muted by the din of the chopper blades, the wind whipped around her.

When Rick made it up the stairs, he saw the helicopter taking flight; Kate sinking down to her knees, her face buried in her hands and her gun next to her. She was sobbing uncontrollably, losing her breath. He ran up to her and picked her up off the ground. He held his wife as she cried and watched the helicopter disappear in the horizon.

Rick didn't cry; he had to be strong for Kate, but he was dying inside. Rick knew that it was all his fault; he hadn't listened to his father's warning and now he was paying for it. But he knew that he wouldn't stop until he held his daughter again.

At whatever costs, he was going to get Johanna back.


	5. Chapter 5

Kate watched the helicopter fade into a tiny black dot in the sky. _Why do these things happen to me? _She wondered. _Even when I'm not working, trouble finds me._

Rick seemed to read her mind, "It's not your fault, Kate."

Kate shook her head, "One day… I had her for one day and she's gone already. What kind of mother am I?" she wiped her tears.

Rick decided that it was time to tell her the truth about his dad's visit at the hospital. "It's not your fault, it's mine-"

She began to protest, but Rick quieted her.

"No, just listen to me, Kate," he said, holding her by the shoulders, "It's my fault she's gone. Jackson Hunt came to warn me that 3XK was coming for Johanna. I didn't listen… I didn't protect her. It's all my fault, Kate, I'm so sorry."

Kate stared at him, her face was emotionless. Her mouth hung slightly open as she studied him. "You lied to me," she whispered, narrowing her eyes.

"You don't understand, I was trying to protect you-" Rick began. He then realized how much he sounded like his father had earlier that day and he stopped himself.

She backed away from him, a look of pure anger flashed across her face. "Protect me from what?! We could have _done _something, Castle! If you had just told me, this never would have happened! How the hell could you _do _this to me?" she shook her head furiously, correcting herself, "How could you do this to Johanna?"

"I'm sorry, I screwed up."

"You couldn't get past your hurt for one second to listen to your dad, and now look what's happened. He's still your father, Rick, and he's been trying to help you! He wants to make it up to you, that he wasn't there for you, but you just push him away!" she said. "Even if he wasn't your dad, if someone tells you that a wanted serial killer is after your daughter, you _listen." _

Kate now had her hand on the stairwell door; Rick was still standing in the middle of the rooftop. "We're going to get our daughter back, but after that, we are _done."_ She pushed open the door and disappeared inside.

Kate pounded down the steps, not knowing where to start the search. The loft door was left ajar, so she let herself in and shut the door. She leaned up against the frame and took a deep breath. _You're going to find her, Kate. She'll be okay_.

There was a light knock on the door. She looked through the peephole. _Rick._ He looked like a little boy after being caught with his hand in the cookie jar; all scared and guilty. She opened the door for him and he tentatively stepped inside.

Kate nodded to him as he spun to face her. He was all business now, just as determined as she was to put a bullet in 3XK's head.

"I know a guy," he said. "That chopper must have shown up on the radars, we can track it and find out where it's heading."

"Good," said Kate quietly. She began pacing the floor. "We're going to need government help."

"Right," Rick said, going off to make calls. It was a good thing that he had so many connections. His friendships had gotten him out of a lot of sticky situations in the past.

Before hitting call, Rick turned to Kate. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, regarding their fight.

She opened her mouth to say something, but then decided against it. "Ah- no. No, let's just focus on this for now."

He nodded, "Okay, but we do need to talk about it later."

She blinked at him. "Of course."

Rick made calls to the NYPD, CIA, and some powerful friends in the army and air force. All of them agreed to help in any way that they could, given the fact that they owed him favors.

"Marlowe," he said to the colonel. "Can you help me? I need to know who chopper CI5229 is registered to. It looked like army goods. Right, I get that you're busy but this is important." He filled Marlowe in on the details and the colonel obliged.

"I'll get you the info as soon as I find anything," said Marlowe. "But I'm looking here and no chopper was picked up on the radar in your area, so this guy must be a professional."

"Thanks pal, let me know when something turns up," said Castle, hanging up to make another call to the FBI.

Just as he hit the FBI contact on his speed dial, another call came in from a blocked number. "Castle," he answered.

"Rick, it's me," said Jackson Hunt.

Castle recognized the voice immediately. "Didn't turn yourself in, I see," he accused.

"He took her?" asked Hunt sounding panicked.

"What do you care?" Castle hissed. Kate looked over at him from her laptop in the kitchen.

_Who is it? _She mouthed.

Castle waved her off.

Beckett knew that something was up. She hurried over to him and took the phone from his ear. "Hi, Mr. Hunt, this is Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. I was wondering if you could help us."

Castle grabbed for the phone, but Beckett fought him off, holding him by the head at arms length.

"Mhmm. Right. Sure, we can meet you there. Of course, I understand. National security and all, okay. See you soon," she said, ending the call.

"What did he say?" asked Castle eagerly.

Kate glanced at him, but then stared at the floor, still holding a grudge. "He's going to help us find Johanna."

"What?!"

"He's got connections, Castle-"

"So do I!"

"He's a trained spy, this is his forte."

"Why do we need to bring him into this?" asked Rick.

"Because it was him that they wanted in the first place. We can use him as bait to get them out in the open," said Kate.

"C'mon, Beckett, we can do this ourselves, we don't need him along for the ride," Rick protested.

She smirked at him. "It think that he and _I _can do it ourselves. We don't need _you _along for the ride."

Rick frowned, "That's harsh."

Kate shrugged. "Well, after today, I think I have the right to be a little harsh." She gave him the look as she handed his phone back to him and walked off.


	6. Chapter 6

Rick desperately wanted to defend himself; to tell Kate what he was thinking at the moment. But they had agreed to talk about it later, so he dropped it.

"Where are we meeting him?" He asked as they climbed into the Ferrari, Kate driving, of course.

"Antonio's Deli, Greenwich Village," she stated sourly.

"Why there?"

"I don't know, maybe he wants a sandwich," she snapped angrily.

Rick glared at her, tired of being the one to blame. Sure, he had messed up, but he didn't deserve to be treated this way. "Look, Kate. Johanna is _my _child too, and I'm just as upset as you are. But we're not going to get anywhere if we don't work as a team."

She sighed, staring straight ahead.

Castle looked at her out of the corner of his eye, waiting for her to say something. He wasn't going to be the one apologizing the whole time.

"Look, I'm sorry, Castle," she said. "I just lost it, and I forget that she _is _your baby too. I get now how hard it was when Alexis was kidnapped. I saw how scared you were. And you know how I get when I'm scared. I push people away. I wish I didn't; it's my _worst _trait, but it's what I do."

"I know," he said.

"I'm sorry," she said again. "I didn't mean anything I said."

He gave her a kiss. "It's all right. I know I can be a jackass sometime."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Look at us," said Kate, "we're fighting like a married couple."

Castle cocked his head. "That's because we _are _married, _dear._"

Kate looked at him oddly, then she realized that he was right. "Oh, yeah." She turned the keys in the ignition and drove off to meet Jonathan Hunt.

"Do you think he'll be in disguise?" Castle whispered to Beckett as they walked up to Antonio's Deli. It was a small shop on the corner or the street with a sign that read, "Antonio's Deli: the best sandwich in Greenwich!"

"Definitely," said Beckett, "he wouldn't come out in broad daylight like this, he'd be so exposed."

Castle put a twenty in a hobo's styrofoam cup. He was lurking outside of the deli, begging for meat scraps.

"Thank you, kindly!" said the hobo.

They sat down at a table and looked around for Hunt.

"Is that him?" asked Castle, pointing to a man in sunglasses and a baseball cap.

Beckett squinted at him. "Nah, too obvious."

After about twenty minutes past their meeting time, they were sure that they had been stood up.

Then, the hobo pocketed his money, stood up, and sat down in the seat across from them.

They stared at him. "Can we help you?" asked Beckett.

The hobo leaned in and whispered, "Rick! It's me!"

It took them to realize who it was. "Hunt!" said Beckett.

The agent was unrecognizable. His face was dirty and he wore a fake beard. He was clothed in a filthy winter coat and beanie that looked like it was found in a gutter.

He shushed her. "We don't have much time," he said quickly. "I know where your daughter is."

_That was easy, _thought Beckett, "Where?"

"Russia. They took her to the Russian spy embassy headquarters," said Hunt.

"How did you find that out?" asked Castle.

Hunt hesitated. "Let's just say that I have some very powerful friends in the CIA."

Castle remembered the time that they had been tricked by the CIA. The government agent, Sofia Turner, had mentioned that his father had worked with them.

Beckett leaned forward, moving in closer to Hunt. "Now the question is, how do we get her back?"

Hunt raised an eyebrow. "We? No, no, there is no 'we' here. I'm going to turn myself in and Johanna will be returned to you by this time tomorrow."

"You can't do that," Beckett said immediately.

"Why not?" Hunt and Castle said in unison. The two of them looked at each other.

"You don't know 3XK, Mr. Hunt. As soon as you turn yourself in, we'll have no leverage. He wants to make our lives a living hell and he will kill Johanna the moment you're dead. 3XK has no intention of ever giving our daughter back," Beckett explained.

Hunt chewed his lip and sat back in his chair. "Then what do you propose we do, young lady?"

"I thought _you_ had a plan," Castle snapped.

Beckett quieted him. "I say that we call the CIA and send a retrieval team."

Hunt shook his head. "That won't work; they won't risk an entire team to rescue one person."

Castle zoned off as Beckett and Hunt tried to figure out a plan. He tried to figure out what 3XK's next move would be, so that they could stay one step ahead of him.

It was like a game of chess, only the stakes were a matter of life and death. Hunt is the king; the piece that the opponent wants the most. There's no way that you can sacrifice the king without losing the game. 3XK is the queen; the most dangerous attacker. Rick, Kate, and Johanna are pawns; small parts of the game, but very important to the outcome. The sad part is, the pawns need to sacrifice themselves to protect the king.

"I just thought of a plan…" said Castle.


	7. Chapter 7

Two hours later, Rick and Kate were boarding a private plane bound for Russia.

Castle was all decked out in what he deemed to be "spy gear". He wore a leather jacket, a white shirt, and sunglasses, even though it was nighttime. He kept running his fingers through his hair, but it kept flopping back into place anyways.

Kate thought that he looked more like a greaser than James Bond.

An attendant offered his hand to Kate, who was dressed in a tight navy blue dress and white heels to accommodate the plan, and helped her ascend the stairs to the plane.

Hunt was already seated comfortably inside, sipping a scotch. He stood up when they boarded. "Kate, you look amazing," he said, kissing her hand.

"Thanks, Jackson," she smiled, taking the chair next to him.

Castle rolled his eyes. Since when had his dad and Beckett been on first name terms? It took him nearly four years to be able to call her "Kate"!

Hunt offered her a scotch, which she declined since she was "on the job."

They went over the plan one more time as the plane took off.

"So Kate will make her way into the men's club across the street from the embassy," said Hunt. They had established that the men's club was the Russian agent's primary hangout after work.

"Where I'll talk to some people; figure out who's who," said Beckett. "And I'll casually mention that I know someone they might be interested in."

Castle jumped at the chance to talk since it had been _his _brilliant plan. "They'll ask who it is, and you'll mention a friend who goes by 3XK."

"They'll realize that you're referring to me," said Hunt, "and they'll take interest in you."

"They'll take you to talk to the person in charge of the operation, where you'll say that you're prepared to hand him over-"said Castle.

"In exchange for Johanna," said Hunt.

"They'll insist on getting Hunt first before they do anything else," said Castle. "Hunt will show himself, where he'll be taken into custody and interrogated." At that point, he pulled out a map of the embassy that had gotten thanks to one of Hunt's "friends". "In one of these underground rooms," he said, pointing to the small squares on the map.

"Rick will put two bombs on the walls here," said Hunt, gesturing to a part of the building on the opposite end of the interrogation rooms. "Which will cause a commotion, leaving me with minimal guards."

"Meanwhile, I'll be talking to my escort and finding out where they have Johanna," said Beckett.

"And I'll be breaking out of the holding cell where I'll come back to meet you," Hunt said to Beckett.

"Wait, how will you find me?" asked Beckett.

Hunt held up a small tracking device the size of a button. "Undetectable under a sweeper." He helped her fasten it to the inside of her dress.

Beckett readjusted her hair and sat forward. "You'll come find me and with any luck, I'll know where Johanna is."

"What makes you think your guard will tell you where she is?" asked Castle.

Beckett cocked her head and smiled playfully. "Look at me, Castle. He'll tell me."

"What if it's not a _he?_" asked Castle, not convinced even though she looked hot.

"There are no female agents in the Russian quarter," said Hunt. "They don't have the same rights as men at this point."

"We'll find Johanna and break out through this exit," said Beckett, pointing on the map. "Where Rick will be waiting with the car."

"And from there, we only have to make it to the US headquarters ten miles away where they'll give us protection," said Hunt. "I have to say, Rick, you come up with a gutsy plan."

"We all have our fortes," said Castle. "I like living on the edge."

Beckett rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah, the edge of a kiddie pool."


	8. Chapter 8

As according to the plan, Beckett took a separate car from the hotel. She felt reassured by the cool metal of her gun strapped into her thigh holster.

Castle was positioned on the back side of the Russian Embassy building with a backpack full of unwired bombs.

Hunt was tied up in a chair back at the hotel room, so it would look like he came to the country as her captive. At first, they had considered having Hunt go to the club with Beckett, but decided that it was important that she appear single.

She paid the driver in cash and was shown to the door of the club.

There were two burly men standing out front with headsets on. They stared her up and down as she approached and moved aside to let her in.

Beckett nodded to them as they said something to her in Russian.

She looked around the dark club. It was hot, musty, and smelled like smoke. All around her, there were men drinking and talking loudly to each other. There was a poker table where a few men in suits sat dealing cards.

Only a few women besides her were there. Most of them either clung to someone's arm or flirted at the bar.

A young woman, not any older than twenty sauntered past her carrying drinks.

Beckett stopped her. "Seen the boss around here?" she asked her slyly in a Russian accent.

The woman nodded to the poker table. "Over there. He's looking for some company," she told her. "He's the one with the hat."

She looked over at the table. The man she was referring to wore a business suit like his colleagues and an Indiana Jones-like fedora. His brown hair flopped in his face when he looked at his hand. The most curious thing about him was his one blue eye and one green. A cigar hung from his lips as he folded his cards.

The woman looked at her strangely. "You're not from around here are you?"

"How can you tell?" asked Beckett, wondering if this waitress was going to blow her cover.

"Your accent needs work," the woman said. "That's good though, the boss likes foreigners; finds them… interesting."

She grinned, taking a scotch from her. "Good. I think he'll like me then." She flipped her hair and made her way over to the poker table.

As the men saw her coming, the guy next to "the boss" stood up and pulled his chair out for her.

Beckett sat down and leaned into her target.

He put his cards on the table. "Hi," he said in English but with a heavy accent.

"Hello," she said, moving in closer to him. She set her glass down on the felt table where it sat, sweating in the heat.

"American?" he asked.

"Maybe," said Beckett, smiling seductively at him. "Who wants to know?"

"Georgi Freedman," he said, taking her hand. "Russian Embassy Foreign Affairs CEO."

"Jennifer Paxton," she said.

"Well, Miss Paxton," said Freedman as they both stood up. "What brings you here?"

She looped her arm around his as he led them to a private table in the corner. They slid into the booth and she sat close to him so their legs were touching.

"I was in the area, heard that you'd be here," Beckett whispered.

"Oh yeah?" said Freedman. "What else have you heard about me?" He put his right hand on her knee, a bold move for someone like him.

She grinned and leaned in closer to him, whispering in his ear, like she was saying something suggestive. "I know someone you might be interested in."

Freedman raised an eyebrow at her. "And it's not you?" he said with a smile.

She twirled a lock of her hair around her index finger. "No, not exactly." She moved away so she could look him in the eye. "He goes by the name Jackson Hunt."

Freedman put his chin in his hands. "Intriguing, Miss Paxton. How might you know Jackson Hunt?"

"I know he's worth a lot so I've brought him here. I'm willing to make a little trade with you," said Beckett, tilting her head. "You get Jackson Hunt in exchange for something that _I _want."

"And what would that be?" he asked, tightening his tie.

Beckett took a sip of her drink before continuing. "It's come to my attention that you've acquired an American baby. I wish to take her back to her parents."

Freedman gave her a questioning look.

She shifted, turning her body towards him. "You see, the parents of that baby are friends of mine; very prominent people in America."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. They are willing to risk anything to get her back. She is the only heir to their fortune," said Beckett. "So do we have a deal?"

Freedman sighed. He reached out and pushed a lock of her hair out from in front of her eyes, while slightly brushing her cheek. "Well, darling, I was hoping to take _you _home tonight, but I suppose Jackson Hunt is a fair substitute. My company will be most pleased to have him." He stood up and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

She took it and they walked out of the club together. The other women at the bar shot her envious looks, all of them oblivious to where she was actually going with "the boss".

They crossed the busy street and soon, she was inside the Russian Embassy. The building was plain and steel; they couldn't very well advertise what the company actually was. If you passed it on the street, you wouldn't give it a second glance.

Beckett was directed through a metal detector before being allowed any further into the building. She flinched as the alarms went off from sensing her gun.

Two uniformed guards rushed up to her, but Freedman waved them off.

"She's harmless," she heard him mutter to them.

The guards respectively backed off, intimidated by a man of Georgi Freedman's rank.

There seemed to be guards everywhere she looked, which wasn't strange considering it was a spy headquarters. What was strange was that no one questioned her. She assumed that it was because she was with Freedman and anyone who was in his presence must be trustworthy.

Freedman swiped his keycard next to the elevator and held the door open for her. He pushed the button for the seventh floor and they rode up in silence.

When they stepped off, they were stopped by another door which required a keycard and a fingerprint scan.

Beckett casually looked around to spot all of the security cameras. Most of the ones that were visible were mostly there as a warning, but she knew that there must be more hidden.

The door slid open with a hiss after the proper identification was processed and she was shown into a large office.

There were no windows, but the size of the room kept it from feeling claustrophobic. The high ceilings were adorned with spotlights that illuminated the office and cast odd shadows.

"We can talk openly now," said Freedman, taking a seat at a big oak desk in the middle of the room. He motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs across from the desk, but she chose instead to sit perched on the arm of his chair, keeping up the façade that she was still interested in him.

Her feet didn't quite reach the floor, so she crossed her legs and sat back, leaning into him.

Freedman smiled at her. "Where might my men find Jackson Hunt?"

"In my hotel room," she said, giving him the name of her hotel and the key to the room.

He handed the card to one of his agents and he hurried off. "You've been very helpful, Miss Paxton. These friends of yours must mean a lot to you, to go this far to help them."

She laid an arm across the back of Freedman's chair. "Yes, well, I owe them a favor or two."

He shook his head and chuckled. "Don't we all."

They made small talk; Freedman asked her questions about herself, all of which she replied with a believable lie.

Beckett was glad that she was gaining his trust, but she couldn't wait to turn around and stab him in the back, figuratively. He was quite the slimeball. His mother must not have taught him how to keep his hands to himself.

The office doors slid open and a horde of agents walked in, escorting Jackson Hunt. He was still tied up in the ropes that Beckett had left him in, but now he had a bloody lip and a bruised cheek.

Putting up a fight had all been part of the plan.

It was almost hard to believe how well a plan that Castle had come up with was working.

Freedman stood, smoothing out his jacket. "Thank you, gentlemen," he said to his agents.

They nodded to him and exited, leaving Hunt swaying on his feet in the middle of the room.

Beckett took the chair Freedman had just vacated, giving Hunt a small nod.

The Russian agent paced the floor in front of Hunt with his hands clasped behind his back. "Agent Hunt, you've been a hard man to find."

Hunt laughed good naturedly. "I guess I win our game of hide and go seek then."

Freedman stopped in front of him. "Not quite. But if it wasn't for Miss Paxton here, you might have."

Beckett waved to Hunt.

Freedman turned back to her. "Speaking of which, dear, you can go now. I have what I need." With that, he pressed a button on his intercom. "Send him in," he said. The phone crackled when he hung up.

Within seconds, the doors slid open again.

Standing in the doorway, holding baby Johanna, was 3XK.


	9. Chapter 9

Beckett's heart dropped to her stomach, seeing 3XK with her daughter. She ducked her head, shifting ever so slightly so her hair fell in front of her face, but it was too late.

"You!" 3XK said, recognizing her immediately.

In one swift movement, Beckett drew her gun and fired two shots; one at 3XK's head, the other at Freedman's leg.

The bullet meant for 3XK sailed over his head, hitting the steel wall and ricocheting off. Freedman's bullet hit its mark, burying into his leg and paralyzing him.

3XK shifted Johanna into his left arm, while pulling his gun and shooting in rapid fire, not even aiming.

Beckett hit the ground, front rolling and landing on her knees, she brought the gun up and shot another round, all of them barely missing her target. She stopped firing; scared that she might hit Johanna.

3XK turned to run back out the way he came, but found the doors locked. They were trapped, only Freedman could unlock the doors.

Beckett looked over at the CEO, who was lying on the floor and reaching for a small red panic button on the underside of his desk; the kind of button they had at bank teller's desks.

She fired a warning shot in his direction, making him jerk his hand back in surprise.

Hunt was still standing in the middle of the room, struggling against his bindings. Beckett was surprised that he hadn't been hit yet.

While 3XK was busy shooting at the door, trying to break his way out, Beckett grabbed a letter-opener from Freedman's desk drawer and cut the ropes off of Hunt. "We need to get out of here!" Hunt said, dropping the ropes at his feet.

3XK turned again and shot at them.

Beckett dove behind the desk for cover.

Before 3XK could react, Hunt dropped to the floor and rolled towards him, shot up, and grabbed him by the shooting arm.

3XK barely had time to register what was happening before Hunt twisted his arm, forcing him to drop the gun. All of this happened within five seconds time.

Hunt held the gun to 3XK's temple. "Get down on your knees!" he shouted.

3XK set the baby gently down on the ground and put his hands behind his head in surrender. He lowered himself slowly to kneeling position next to Johanna.

Beckett stood and pulled a pair of handcuffs from her boot. She had known that they would come in handy, even though Rick ridiculed her for packing them.

Before she could cuff 3XK, there was a loud boom coming from the other side of the building, causing the entire structure to shake. Then the sirens began.

"Kate!" Hunt hollered over the alarms, "We need to go, NOW!" As he was saying this, there was another explosion, Rick's second bomb going off. He had been given five total which he would set off at five separate locations, keeping the authorities on their toes.

Beckett knelt down and picked up Johanna, who was screaming bloody murder; understandable considering what she had been through. "I'm so sorry," Kate whispered to her. She looked down at 3XK who was still on the ground.

"Leave him!" Hunt shouted, "He's not going anywhere!"

The building shook again from the third explosion.

Beckett finished the job that 3XK had started, knocking the door down with a hard kick.

Hunt shook his jacket off and handed it to Kate to wrap Johanna in.

She thanked him, pulling the rough fabric around her daughter. "We're going home, Johanna," she said.

Hunt led the way down the hall, his gun at the ready.

Beckett held Johanna in one arm and her gun in the other. _Who's Miss I Can Handle It All now, Castle?_ She thought. At that moment, she was literally the best working mom.

Agents rushed past them, heading for the ground zero sites. None of them gave them a second glance.

They piggyback accessed through doors that were supposed to be locked. They would follow an agent to a door where they would wait while they scanned their card, and then hurry through after them before it slid shut again.

They flew down the stairs two at a time until they reached the ground floor. When she forced the stairwell door open, she glanced to her right where the fifth and final bomb was set to go off. She pointed it out to Hunt who nodded, and sped off in the opposite direction towards the back exit. The sirens blared, bouncing off the walls and echoing.

The back door had been blown up, leaving a gaping and smoking hole in the wall. The fire had been put out and all of the attention had been turned to a newer bomb site a hundred feet away.

They sprinted to the exit where they saw the rental car idling, Rick sitting behind the wheel. He shouted something, but over the alarms, Kate couldn't hear what he said.

She felt the heat on her back before the force of the blast knocked her off her feet. She turned over on her back and pulled Johanna into her, protecting her from the debris. Kate landed hard on the floor and slid a few feet, thanks to the marble floors, away from the fire.

She lay on her side, coughing and sobbing; Johanna was safe in her arms, unharmed by the bomb. Kate could feel her jacket smoking and smelled her own charred flesh. She lifted her head and glanced at her feet, immediately wishing she hadn't. The bottom half of her jeans had burned off along with a layer of skin, on her left shin; leaving it black and smoldering. She groaned and laid her head back down on the marble. She had been lucky to escape the worst of the blast, but she was still hurt.

"KATE!" she heard Rick yell, getting out of the car and hurrying to her.

She coughed and forced Johanna into his arms. "Take… her," she whispered, becoming light headed. "Get her… out… of here… Castle," she said between breaths.

"Hunt!" Rick yelled over his shoulder. He stood up and handed Johanna to him. "I'm trusting you, Hunt," he said. "Take care of her, get her to safety."

Hunt nodded, and sprinted out of the building.

Rick crouched down next to Kate and stroked her cheek, rubbing the soot from her face. Her tears left a track in the black and he wiped them away. "You're going to be okay, Kate, I'll get you out of here, I promise," he said. Putting his arms under her back and legs, he picked her up.

The slight movement sent a wave of pain coursing through her entire being. "Castle!" she cried.

All of a sudden, there was a sharp click and there was 3XK, standing in the smoke, pointing a gun at them. "Don't move!" he commanded. He was completely fine; having made it to the ground floor after all of the bombs had exploded.

Rick stared at him, breathing heavily.

The next second, 3XK crumpled to the ground, a bullet in his skull.

It took a while for Castle to register what had happened. Kate had reached into the inside of her jacket and used her spare piece to kill 3XK.

Now, she lay unconscious in his arms, her head against his shoulder. Her right arm fell, dropping the gun in the process. It hit the floor with a loud clatter where it went off again.

Rick turned and sprinted out of the Russian Embassy.

Hunt sat in driver's seat of the rental car with Johanna in his lap. "Hurry!" he shouted to him.

Castle gently laid Kate along the back seat and slammed the door. He jumped into the passenger side and said to Hunt, "Get us to the hospital!"

Hunt slammed his foot on the gas and they sped off to the nearest ER.


	10. Chapter 10

Kate woke up with a tingling sensation in her lower legs. Her head pounded as she sat up and she rubbed her eyes, clearing herself from the haze.

It took a while for the room around her to materialize. The fluorescent light made everything a strange shade of blue. Where was she? What happened?

Then it all came rushing back to her.

Johanna being kidnapped by 3XK, meeting Jackson Hunt, the rescue, and the escape plan.

She groaned and sank back into the sheets. The plan had gone horribly wrong. The first bomb hadn't gone off until she was right next to it. She suddenly remembered the burns.

Kate threw the sheets off of her and looked down at her legs. They were covered in bandages, wrapped tightly from her ankles to her knees.

She assessed the rest of the damage. She had a deep gash that started at her hairline and ended next to her eye. Her lower lip was swollen and she had bruises up and down her arms.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she recalled shooting 3XK before losing consciousness. That maniac was finally out of their lives for good.

Rick was sitting next to her bed, his hand entwined with hers. His head fell to one side and his jaw was lined with stubble. Kate wondered how long he had been there when he stirred in his sleep.

He sat up and blinked rapidly, "Hey," he muttered, "you're up."

"Yeah," she said quietly, her throat dry. "How long have I been out?"

"Three days," he responded. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly, I can't feel anything," she said. "How bad are they?" she was referring to the burns.

"Third and fourth degree," said Rick. "You won't be able to feel the pain for a while; the nerves were destroyed in the blast."

"Oh, great," she moaned.

Rick leaned over and kissed her, his hand lightly tracing her jaw line. "I'm just glad you're okay," he whispered. "You really are Nikki Heat now."

She kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. She let out a sigh as his tongue traced the roof of her mouth.

He was gentle with her, careful not to bump the tubes and wires attached in her arms and wrists. He slowly moved his mouth from hers and down to her collarbone which he lightly traced with his tongue.

She tensed, feeling herself shiver at his touch. His stubble scraped her tender skin and sent shockwaves through her. "I'm sorry, Castle," she said.

He pulled away from her and sat on the edge of the bed. "For what?"

Kate shook her head. "For everything I said before; for how I treated you. You didn't deserve it and I'm just really sorry." She was suddenly on the verge of tears.

"Hey," he said softly, putting both of his hands on either sides of her face. He used his thumbs to wipe the wetness from her eyes. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean it. I can be a jackass sometimes."

She grinned. "Yeah you can be. But you're the sweetest jackass I've ever met."

He gave her one of his infamous wry smiles, his eyes scrunching in the corners as he did so. "Thanks," he said.

"Always." She folded his hand in both of hers and they just sat there, staring into each other's eyes.

A moment later, a nurse walked in, cradling a sleeping Johanna in her arms. "Look who's up!" she said to Johanna.

"Oh!" Kate cried, reaching out to take her baby. "Thank you!"

The nurse smiled at her as she transferred Johanna over to her mother. "She's 100% better now, sweetie. You did a good job keeping her safe." She stepped back, giving them their privacy.

Kate felt a surge of happiness as she finally held her daughter again. She held her tight, never wanting to let her go. She did, eventually, when she gave her over to Rick.

She tilted her head as she watched him rock Johanna. "Castle, are you _crying_?" she asked teasingly.

His head was bowed, admiring his baby daughter. He was crying freely, not even trying to hide it. "Y-yeah." He sniffed, and then he grinned. He didn't have to pretend to be a tough guy _all _the time. Kate did that enough for the both of them.

Johanna was awake and smiling now, quietly gurgling and staring up at her daddy with her big blue eyes. She reached up with a tiny hand, which Rick took in his own.

He pressed every single finger to his lips and lightly kissed each one of them, making Johanna giggle with joy.

"Your life is going to be full of adventures, Johanna Castle," Rick said to her. "And you're just getting started."

FIN


	11. Epilogue

As always, Jackson Hunt disappeared without a trace. He had driven them to the hospital then gone off into hiding again. He had been in the same place for far too long, and he feared for his and the Castle family's safety.

On the plane to his next destination, Hunt wrote a letter.

Dear Rick,

It was a pleasure working with you. I see that you got some of my genes; coming up with that genius plan and all. Take good care of Johanna; she's going to be one beautiful woman when she grows up. Hopefully, I'll see her before then. Give Kate my best, I've sent some flowers to her hospital room, you should be getting them shortly. I'm proud of you Rick.

JH

P.S. tell your mother I said hi


End file.
